


Tonight You're Perfect

by NahaFlowers



Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: Bittersweet, Dancing, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 09:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15191369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NahaFlowers/pseuds/NahaFlowers
Summary: If only she could have him as he was, here, tonight, everything would be perfect. And then she remembered Robin and realised that could never be.Marian finds Guy in the stables, the night after he saves her from being hanged as the Nightwatchman.





	Tonight You're Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> _Tonight you’re perfect_  
>  _I wanna fall in love with the stares in your eyes_  
>  _Tonight you’re perfect_  
>  _I wanna fall in love but only for the night_  
>     
>  _Tonight You’re Perfect - New Politics_  
>   
> 
> So yesterday I was listening to the above song and my brain got inspired to write a Guy/Marian fic, despite not having thought about them/Robin Hood for like a year. This is the result, set after Guy finds out Marian is the Nightwatchman and saves her from being hanged, in 2x11

Marian got out of bed after dark and ventured out of the castle, as she often did, to perform her Nightwatchman duties or simply to feel free, a little less like a caged bird.

She was just about to sneak past the half-asleep guard on the gate when she heard something from the stables. It was...if she wasn't mistaken, it was singing. Someone was singing in French, something that sounded like a lullaby, albeit a melancholy one. Enchanted, Marian crept around to the door of the stable.

She almost turned tail and fled when she saw that the voice belonged to Guy, but something stayed her. This was Guy as she'd never seen him, unguarded, stroking his horse's mane while singing a lullaby which had presumably been taught to him by his mother. She stayed to watch, not wanting to reveal her presence quite yet, for fear of putting Guy back on guard, of ruining this beautiful moment. After a minute, she dared to creep closer. As she reached his side and leaned forward to stroke the horse in tandem, he looked up sharply, but then relaxed when he saw it was her.

"Marian," he said. Not an admonishment, or an accusation, or a declaration of love, but simply an acknowledgement of her presence.

"Guy," she said evenly, unable to hide a smile. They continued to stroke his horse for another minute, just existing together, before Marian said, "I didn't know you could sing."

Guy actually blushed, and Marian could admit, at least to herself, at least tonight, after he had saved her life, how endearing that was.

"I wouldn't say I could _sing_ ," he said. He sighed and looked up at her. "It was something our mother used to sing to us," he said, as if by way of explanation. Marian wondered at the 'our', but remembered Robin once mentioning that Guy had had a sister. She wondered then, at how little she knew of this man, who had risked his life for her multiple times, who loved her, in his own way.

"You don't have to tell me," she said, placing her hand on his, but internally she was begging him to tell her everything. Maybe he caught that in her eyes for he grinned at her shyly before gently removing his hand from her grip.

"You would have liked her," he said softly. "She would have loved you." He paused, looking away from her. "Sometimes, when my mind is full of too many thoughts and I can't sleep, I come down here. It calms me."

It is possibly the most intimate thing he has ever said to her. "I'm sorry," she said, because she knew she was all too often the cause of those thoughts.

He shook his head. "No. They're not bad thoughts. Not tonight, anyway." He smirked at her, and she smirked back, a little ruefully. If only she could have him as he was, here, tonight, everything would be perfect. And then she remembered Robin and realised that could never be.

 

Later, when he thought about it, Guy believed this night was the only night he had ever believed they were truly possible together, that Marian could ever love him the way he loved her.

"I wish my mother were here," she was saying, surprising him. He had never heard her talk of her mother before.

"Do you remember her well?" he asked.

Marian nodded. "I was ten when she died. She was...so full of grace, and life, and spirit...I missed her so much, when she was gone. I still do."

Guy nodded. "Well, I knew you had to get it from somewhere," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

Marian smiled, and her smile lit him up inside. "Spirit perhaps. And of course she gave me life. I'm not sure about grace though."

"Hmm," said Guy, smiling like he disagreed. Marian bumped her shoulder against his and he closed his eyes, revelling in the contact while convincing himself not to be too overwhelmed with her mere presence.

Which she made a lot harder when she offered him her hand and said, "Let's dance."

He stumbled back. "W-what?"

Marian grinned, a little teasingly. "Come on, Guy. It's a beautiful night, the stars are out, and we're both here and _alive_." _Let's savour that, just for one night_ , her sparkling eyes appeared to be saying.

"Very well," he said, after a deep breath. He let her take his hands and place them, not trusting himself to, feeling like a clumsy fool.

"You can provide the music, since I know you can sing now," said Marian, her head on his chest.

Guy actually barked out a laugh. "Oh no, Marian. I'm not singing in front of you."

She pulled back, looking slightly crestfallen. "But you did before!"

"I didn't know you were there!" he protested. "You sneaked up on me!"

"I'm sorry," she said, looking almost contrite. Then she rolled her eyes, spoiling the illusion. "I suppose I'll just have to provide the music then," she said, and without further ado, she did, humming another lullaby, and Guy just had to move where she guided him and try to focus on his breathing.

When it was over, and Guy had caught his breath (Marian kindly turning her head away while he did so), she turned to him, serious.

"Thank you," she said. "For what you did today. I know I've said it already. But, you know, I am grateful."

Guy tried to blink away the tears that sprung to his eyes. "I don't want you to be grateful," he mumbled. _I want you to love me_ , he thought, but left it unsaid. What would be the point?

Instead, he said, "I miss my mother too. I don't think anyone has loved me, truly loved me, since she died." _Where did that come from_? he thought, cursing himself for his vulnerability, but it was the truth and he could not take it back.

"Oh Guy," she said, tears springing to her own eyes. She wanted to say, _that's not true_ or even _I love you_ , but that would be a lie, and she had made a promise to herself to stop lying to Guy, at least unnecessarily.

He sighed. "What does it matter, anyway?" he said, embarrassed, exhausted, wanting to set his vulnerability aside.

Marian, however, would not let go so easily. "But Guy," she said, "Of course it matters." She laid an imploring hand on his arm, shocked to think that someone could not only _feel_ so unloved but also feel so...apathetic...about it. She could not imagine what it was like to be him.

Guy shook his head, faint amusement in his eyes, as well as something more bitter. She really had no idea what it was like to be him "It really, really doesn't."

"It does!" Marian protested hotly, and ah yes, this felt more familiar, arguing with him, even if it was about his own self-worth.

Guy was unable to hide the bitterness in his smirk, this time. "And what do you plan to do about it, if it's so important to you?" he asked, staring her down.

Marian gulped, broke eye contact, looked at the floor.

"Exactly," said Guy, the harsh satisfaction in his tone warring with the hurt.

Marian braved his gaze again. "I will stay, you know. I meant what I said."

They both noted, however, that she did not say that she would stay with him, nor for him.

"Anyway," she said, trying for a smile. "Your mother loved you. Loves you still, in Heaven," she said.

"Yes," he said, softly. He had wanted to roll his eyes at her earnestness, her conviction that there _was_ such a thing as Heaven, except the idea of his mother being anywhere else, worse, of her simply being _gone_ , was unthinkable. "That's worth something, I suppose," he said, even managing a smile. It was incredible what this woman could bring out in him.

"More than something," she said, just as softly, placing a hand on his shoulder as if they were dancing still, but remaining motionless. There was so much they could have said, perhaps should have said, for soon it would be too late. But there was peace between them in that moment, and something almost magical about the silence of that night, and neither of them wanted to ruin that. 

They stood there for moments, minutes, hours, and then Marian leaned forward to place the gentlest kiss on Guy's lips. _If I can give you nothing else, I can give you this_. Guy's eyes closed of their own accord, and by the time he opened them, she was gone, almost as if she had never been there, but for the footprints in the hay and the scent of her perfume in the air.

Guy went to bed. 


End file.
